Our entire class would like to thank Julie Livaudais George, Esq. (and family!) and Dr. Carolyn Kolb for acting as our gracious hosts to all of New Orleans’ cultural, natural, and culinary delights. We learned so much in our time together with you both.
The night before we left New Orleans I thought about how best to reflect on our three weeks together in the Crescent City. Because we had a 10-hour road trip ahead of us, and because music filled our physical, spiritual, and emotional landscapes wherever we went (whether it was WWOZ, show tunes at McDonald’s, live music at Preservation Hall, or your very own gleeful voices) I thought a music mix might be most appropriate.
Now that we’re home I have been able to add the hallmark New Orleans songs I wanted but didn’t yet have (purchased legally, of course!)
1. “It's the Night Time” Josh Rouse
This song includes the lyrics “I hear you’re really living Uptown/ I’m just a downtown fool.” Although Rouse is singing about another great city, we spent our share of time uptown (some more than others) even though our beloved Depot House was in the CBD.
2. “Get Up Stand Up” Bob Marley
This songs’ insistence that we “stand up for (y)our rights” reminds me of Jericho Housing’s executive director Brad Powers, and the agency’s mission to help people empower themselves through home ownership in Central City. www.jerichohousing.org
3. “Mack The Knife” Louis Armstrong
Roddey and Lorna often sang this song, and I heard it on WWOZ on the way back from the airport dropping Lorna to her early departure. Plus, we had the gift of listening to a fabulous Dixieland trio at Arnaud’s, learning only later that the trumpeter was one of Louis Armstrong’s last pupils.
4. “Give It What You Can” The Meters
While visiting the George Family the evening before we left Will George (fellow Furmanite) introduced us to New Orleans music, making special note of the Meters.
5. “Big Boss Man” Elvis Presley
Although this is not Roy Orbison’s “Working for the Man” (sung haphazardly by Macon Fry the Garden Guy while we were digging the Honduran trenches) it does remind me of Jorge. Another song you might like by the Gourds is “My Name is Jorge” about a man who sells fruits and vegetables. Jorge was not tall (as is the Boss Man in Elvis’ song) but he is big in his way.
6.”Big Log” Robert Plant
This is a quintessential driving song. Knowing we had 10 + hours in front of us the next day, I put it in the mix. The cities did fly by (as they do for the speaker in this song.)
7. Iko Iko Zachary Richard
Featured in “Hurricane on the Bayou” this version of Iko Iko is hard to resist.
8. “Power to the People” (Clean version) Public Enemy w/ Moby
I did a lot of “overhearing” on this trip. One convo I caught was between Sarah Yost and Andrew, who wanted to know if Sarah had ever heard any Public Enemy. It is a rap song, so you’ll want to locate the clean version.
9. “Good Morning” Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Gene Kelly & Singin' In the Rain Singers
It was only fitting that the song you had been singing for two weeks would show up in the matinee Sarah Blake, Savannah, and Lorna attended at the legendary Prytania Theatre.
10. “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” Credence Clearwater
During our airboat tour we were treated to a sunshower, which made me think of this song’s lyrics: “Have you ever seen rain…coming down on a sunny day?”
11. “Atomic Dog” George Clinton and the P Funk All Stars
I couldn’t find a song called “Blue Dog” so we’ll have to hearken George Rodrigue’s signature canine “atomically.”
12. “Red Beans” Professor Longhair
We ate red beans, we cooked red beans, we used them to try to cajole people out of their solitude,, and then we went home.
13. “Beautiful Racket” Mary Chapin Carpenter
This song reminds me of work mornings. Kim, MoPete, and I would be running back from the gym, there was a bustle in the kitchen as people prepared breakfasts and lunches, the passing of the Guarana vitamins (that’s for you Mollie Wade)…a beautiful racket.
14. “Don't Stop Believin'” Journey
This is for all you Journey (and Frontiers) fans out there. You know who you are.
15. “Shreveport” The Gourds
This is the song we played just before we began our Skype session with Dr. Benson’s class. If I had never lived in Shreveport, I probably wouldn’t have lived in Louisiana, and then I probably wouldn’t have had the good fortune of working together with you during our transformative class. So thank you to Shreveport. And thank you intrepid NOLA May Exers!
16. “Stayin’ Alive” The Bee Gees
This song came on the radio as we were crossing the Crescent City Connection back into town after our air boat tour. I do believe everyone was singing this one.
16. “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans”Harry Connick, Jr.
Meg reintroduced our class to the smooth stylings of Harry Connick, Jr. In some way each of us knows what it means to miss New Orleans.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Take 4
So here is the link to my blog- but there is no sound. I'm working on it! I may take out all the music and try again- yuck.
"When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you..."
It's been the hardest, most challenging, most rewarding three weeks of my life. Thanks to those who were able to share in the adventure. I'll miss you all!
Click on the link above to catch a glimpse of our journey in the Big Easy. ENJOY!
the last one...i'm gonna miss ya'll!!!
I guess its time to talk about myself, my growth process. As I sat at dinner with my mom and grandmother after they picked me up, I had the time I needed to think about the time spent in New Orleans. I have grown. When I entered New Orleans I knew next to nothing and was ready just to rebuild rebuild rebuild. Silly me. I left New Orleans with knowledge of the political system, the political nature during Katrina, racial lines that run deep along the income line, more knowledge about crocodiles then you can imagine, and much more. I now have plans to create a “Save the Wetlands” club at Furman as well as plans to return to New Orleans to help continue the building process of New Orleans. When I come though, I will know what is needed to a better extent then most people on mission’s trips. I have been able to live here and learn the ways of the people. By no means am I an insider into this community, but I do feel welcomer, and definitely not like a tourist. There will not be time wasted on Bourbon Street although I do love the French Quarter, the time will be focused on getting out and meeting the people of New Orleans and finding out what they need of me, what I can help them with. Places like Reconcile Café where the city is helping itself by giving jobs and teaching life skills gives me such appreciation and ideas that can be used in other places like D.C. New Orleans is not like any other city in America, even the world. It is a place that has been through countless hardships but bounced back every time – the relentless city. It is a place where racial issues have been overcome and regressed back to over and over again. It is a place of happiness and hope in every smiling and helping face, every organization. It is a place that is getting there and if people would just pay attention and listen, it could be done that much faster. New Orleans to me will always be a place of faces. The faces of my professor and my classmates who opened new windows to learning about the Big Easy. Faces of the people of the organizations we helped with. Faces of the people sitting on their front porches watching the afternoon go by. Faces. Please look at the people of New Orleans faces. They do want people to know that they are still there….they still need help.
A Shotgun Discussion
Discussion from John Biguenet's Shotgun at the Southern Rep Theater in New Orleans.
Friday, May 29, 2009
100,000,000,000,000 cool points to our class and New Orleans!
When I sit down to write- whether papers or blogs- I often stare at the paper for a long time before I can think of anything to write. However, when I started this blog, the opposite happened. I kept writing different beginnings of the blog. Which was the most important (mis)adventure? What outing had the most effect on me? What did I learn about the city?
At one point, my plan was to write about the song “Good Morning,” which was sung almost every day on the trip. Then, Sarah Blake and I saw “Singin in the Rain” for the first time and heard the full song, complete with a dance! The fact that something that had become a daily routine for our group was brought up in an outing was so summarizing of our trip! Everything in this city, as eclectic and crazy as it is, seems to feel connected. A couple of times, our group has described it as a city with a small town feel. People know each other and want to get to know their neighbors and coworkers. This feel of connectedness within the city and to the city was one thing that I found particularly moving.
After I had written the beginning of the blog about connectedness, I listened to “When You’re Smiling” and erased it all. I knew that I had to write my blog about how the culture drew me into it. I often joked that I have to marry a Cajun man – one that knows how to cook and sing, of course- but there’s some seriousness behind it. The lifestyle in New Orleans, as bizarre as it is, is captivating! If I could, I would make every person in the world eat a brunch at Arnoud’s while being serenaded by Louis Armstrong’s last student (yes- that happened to us!) I think the whole world would be happier if there were giant loud speakers always playing the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and if every Monday, everyone ate red beans and rice and crawfish on the Mississippi River. Simply put, I love the culture of this city.
While I was writing this, though, I was taking periodic breaks to sing and laugh with our group. I can’t begin to explain how great our class was. We had troopers who dealt with food that was outside of their comfort zones, gigglers, and GREAT discussions! It was so nice to be in a group of people who can switch from laughing and playing “Bang!” to having intense conversations about the dynamics of the city and what needs to be done. The fact that I was able to sing along to “Wicked,” sob at an art museum, and take part in constant photo shoots in the van and never be alone in doing so was fantastic! I would really like to thank everyone for being so “flippin fantastic!” on this trip. I’ll take all of you!!!
IN Conclusion
The act of reflecting is something that always amazes me. I try my hardest to live within the moment, however, it is entirely too easy to wish for tomorrow, to get caught up in the negatives, or to ignore what is around you. The first week in New Orleans was tough. Our accomodations served as quite a challenge the first evening and the full body work out required to dig Honduran trenches made me question why I had ever even come to New Orleans. Allowed myself to get caught up in the stress of work and assignments. However, upon reflection I can see that this first week, while challenging, was essential to my New Orleans experience. To truly learn, one must be pushed and challenged. I was pushed and challenged and I personally feel that as that first week progressed, I became prepared for anything.
Actually this is an understatement. I was prepared for the work, the stress of the jobs, the hardships of travel. I was not prepared for the emotional toll the trip would take on me. In fact, I don't think I quite realized the emotional impact of this experience until our group discussion the evening prior to my departure. As we sat and talked about our experience I grew quite angry and was often on the brink of tears. This reaction surprised me. I had not allowed the my time in New Orleans to impact me this way prior to our discussions that evening most likely as a move towards self preservation. Verbally I let it all out at during the discussion, much to several of my fellow classmate's dismay.
But what is it that caused me to have this reaction? One idea is continually in my head and wrenches my gut. The idea of being ignored in times of trouble is terrifying to me. While watching the iMax movie, I began crying when the images crossed the screen of families waving signs from their rooftops begging for help. For days the people were ignored. Our government, the government that is meant to protect us did so very slowly. It is this idea, the idea of being abandoned in a time of great need, is one that I cannot empathize with. I have never known that feeling and I pray that I will never have to. My question then is whether or not we can truly help people without empathy? Sympathy goes a long way but empathy often seems to be the key. Regardless of the ultimate answer to this question, we must try our damndest to work with what we have got and if that happens to only be sympathy than that is what we must use.
I honestly do not know where to go from here. I am angry and frustrated. I now do feel as if I made some kind of impact while I was in New Orleans, however, so much more is needed and not simply within New Orleans. If I have learned anything, it is that putting a face on an issue is the first step in working to solve the problems. New Orleans taught me this. The city has been beaten and battered and yet its soul still remains in tact. This is inspiring. Finding the soul, the center of life, is essential within every damaged community. It may be that I never return to New Orleans but I know that through what I have learned, I will now take a little piece of New Orleans with me every where I go.
Actually this is an understatement. I was prepared for the work, the stress of the jobs, the hardships of travel. I was not prepared for the emotional toll the trip would take on me. In fact, I don't think I quite realized the emotional impact of this experience until our group discussion the evening prior to my departure. As we sat and talked about our experience I grew quite angry and was often on the brink of tears. This reaction surprised me. I had not allowed the my time in New Orleans to impact me this way prior to our discussions that evening most likely as a move towards self preservation. Verbally I let it all out at during the discussion, much to several of my fellow classmate's dismay.
But what is it that caused me to have this reaction? One idea is continually in my head and wrenches my gut. The idea of being ignored in times of trouble is terrifying to me. While watching the iMax movie, I began crying when the images crossed the screen of families waving signs from their rooftops begging for help. For days the people were ignored. Our government, the government that is meant to protect us did so very slowly. It is this idea, the idea of being abandoned in a time of great need, is one that I cannot empathize with. I have never known that feeling and I pray that I will never have to. My question then is whether or not we can truly help people without empathy? Sympathy goes a long way but empathy often seems to be the key. Regardless of the ultimate answer to this question, we must try our damndest to work with what we have got and if that happens to only be sympathy than that is what we must use.
I honestly do not know where to go from here. I am angry and frustrated. I now do feel as if I made some kind of impact while I was in New Orleans, however, so much more is needed and not simply within New Orleans. If I have learned anything, it is that putting a face on an issue is the first step in working to solve the problems. New Orleans taught me this. The city has been beaten and battered and yet its soul still remains in tact. This is inspiring. Finding the soul, the center of life, is essential within every damaged community. It may be that I never return to New Orleans but I know that through what I have learned, I will now take a little piece of New Orleans with me every where I go.
Et Conclure
We have managed to pack so much into our time in New Orleans that the three weeks have FLOWN by. While the community service aspect of our trip has proved to be an amazing experience, so have the adventures we have blazed on our own. I have been air boating, sung “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” on the stage of The Cat’s Meow with two of my, now closest, friends, and eaten things that I would normally say “no thank you” to. So much can be learned from these and the many other new experiences that I have had on this trip. I have been taught so much about the city and about myself.
The End
I'm going to find it hard to pinpoint one exact moment on this trip that was most important to me. If I had to choose one I would say the tour of New Orleans and the hike through Laffayette park with Dr. Kolb.
I found this experience especially the Katrina portion of the tour to be one of the most informative parts of our trip. It was far enough along in the trip that I had learned enough to understand the things she was telling us, and early enough that I was able to apply my learning throughout a significant portion of the trip.
Another particularly significant moment of the trip was the last Sunday we were in New Orleans. I was waiting for the streetcar to city park when I found myself in a conversation with a couple visiting from out of town. Not only was I able to give them the information they needed about city park and the streetcar, I was also asked if I was a New Orleans native, which made me feel a little proud of myself.
Nearly everything I did in New Orleans was both enjoyable and rewarding. I hope to be able to return soon (maybe this summer), and show my family around the city I have become familiar with over these last few weeks. While being able to show my parents photos of my trip has been great, I feel like these experiences cannot be accurately conveyed without my parents actually being there in the city. I feel that as I look back on this trip I can say without a doubt that this has been one of the best experiences of my life.
How you like it?
And finallyyyyyy, here it is.
Its pretty epic and deserves a few holla hollas :)
To everyone from these past three weeks: Thank you for your amazingness and how wonderful ya'll are. I couldn't imagine this trip without ya'll and I'm so glad to have had a group of people who got along so well and contributed so much to our group's overall learning. Thanks for being fantastic people, and may you all scream 'How you like it?' and "holla holla" whenever possible :)
Monsignor Crosby Kern Interview
Here is my podcast featuring Monsignor Crosby Kern of St. Louis Cathedral, enjoy! (I would suggest watching with headphones because the sound comes out a lot clearer)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
I'm crazyboutya...
Trying to pinpoint our most favorite moment of this trip is entirely too difficult. By just taking a moment to brainstorm, I can think of several buzzwords that inspire wonderful memories about this wonderful city. So please forgive me, New Orleans, for I can’t begin to describe even a fraction of all the amazing surprises you have to offer. I know that in these next few sentences, I’ll be leaving out beignets (NOT benets), the walk of death to Domilise’s, Louis “LANCE” Armstrong Park, Wednesday night festivals and guacamole, CC’s Strawberry Shortcake Mochassippi’s, hours in Funky Monkey, alligator pictures, 32-inch Po Boys (and all that that entails), van photo shoots, Whitney Houston karaoke, light yellow freezy pops, and that word that Kim still can’t pronounce after 3 weeks (jamba, jumbo, jalymba.. JAMBALYA). Even though I can’t describe it all here, New Orleans knows how much I love it.
But if there was ever a moment that helped me to capture the spirit of the city, it was the first time I took a moment to pause on the railroad tracks and look out at the river. Of course, we’ve walked alongside this river, ‘ferry-ed’ across it, and discussed its damaging repercussions throughout these last three weeks. But on Monday, Kim, Andrew, and I walked up a flight of stairs to the Mississippi with Jackson Square behind us. I boldly walked up those steps, as we’ve done several times throughout our time here. However this time, when we reached the top and looked out across this beautifully wide stretch of water, I nearly lost my breath. The water was calm, and the sun was setting behind us, and the strong, soulful voice of a street performer seemed to linger and everything stood still. For a second, there was a moment to simply be. It was such a powerful moment to think about this river and its love-hate relationship with the city. Though it was responsible for much of the pain that New Orleans experienced, the love between the city and the river is undeniable. This city not only orients itself around the river on a ‘longitudinal’ basis (I don't think that word really fits, but I like the way it sounds), but embodies the very essence of the Mississippi. Both are some kind of a ‘tranquil tyrant’, with an uncontrollable force behind them that is kept in check by an intrinsic peaceful nature. The title “Big Easy” does both the city and the river justice.
After that moment, I think I understood New Orleans a little better. People are always questioning why you would rebuild a city that is just likely to flood again. But honestly, how could you not? There is so much cultural, historical, and social brilliance going on here that it would be an absolute travesty to leave it sitting in ruins. Even if care did forget this city, there is too much magic here to turn our backs on it now.
When I was working on my first project for our freshman seminar, I asked a native Louisianan to surmise about how New Orleans would function in another area. To this, she smiled and said “You can’t move it. Its location on the river contributes so much to the culture”.
Inspiration Drowned in Tears of Emotion
If pictures are worth a thousand words, then why do I have thousands of pictures and no words? Although I have wonderful memories of the past three weeks in
Where is your favorite place in
While it may not be the most visited stop on the tourists’ guide to the city, my favorite place in
The “last dinner” was especially meaningful to me because I sat back, listened to what other’s learned from the city, and realized that we have become a family. I will truly miss the city, the friends I’ve made, and the inside jokes that no one at home will ever understand.
Give one word to describe
Eclectic.
Which individual influenced you the most?
I loved meeting the various people who came to
If you were to bring one person back to the city, who would it be and what would you show them?
I would definitely bring my sister. I would show her every aspect of the city. From the food, to the music, to the most important aspect: the neighborhoods and communities that are still in need of help. I would show every work site from the past three weeks and see how far they’ve come since our visit.
By sharing our group’s story from the past few weeks, I hope to bring attention back to the recovering city of
Jambelli--or New Orleans
The least day of our trip to New Orleans, Mollie Wade and Sarah Blake and I had one of the best experiences of the entire trip. We were able to talk to the Catholic priest in the St Louis Cathedral and he was able to answer every type of question that came to mind. He was also a historian by trade and his knowledge on the subject of New Orleans and the church far surpassed anything else I have learned on the trip.
My final documentary focuses on how the multiple personalities of the people of New Orleans make up the city. Reverend Msgr. Crosby W. Kern made the most eloquent example of how this city is such a multifaceted city, he compared the city to Jambelli, where Jamb comes from the French while the elli comes from Africa—So New Orleans becomes the cultural mixing of these and other cultures just as there is the mixture in their signature food.
Speaking to the priest was one of the most interesting, and enriching experience I have had since I have arrived in the city. He was able to bring insight, since he was not born in the city, but at the same time he has become the center of the city through the Catholic Church. He claimed that almost every community service project that has come came through the doors of the cathedral, and the vast number of Catholic Churches in the area made it possible to convey messages during the aftermath of the horrors of Katrina.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A lead from Mr. Mike Winiski
Here's a link our colleague Mike Winiski sent about non-profits using social media (this corresponds to our discussion on the way back from the Swamp Tour about the political uses of social media):
Story here!
Story here!
Chat Log
10:32 AM question: what did you learn about new orleans by being here?
10:39 AM question: what have you learned from the people in the community? how have the people in new orleans helped to rebuild *you*?
10:43 AM our question to you: what is your class about?
10:46 AM What insights about Charleston were you able to glean in the context of all you are learning in your Virtual Communities May Ex?
10:48 AM what is your biggest challenge in defining a community?
10:49 AM ... on a virtual level
10:50 AM let's talk about video tours
10:53 AM fact or fiction
w/ tour guides
10:59 AM question: do you have to make inferences? or educated guesses?
11:04 AM question: how important is it to be able to ask questions?
(to someone who can answer them)
11:09 AM how important is it to have atmosphere in a virtual community?
11:12 AM why do you think people are initially standofish?
11:17 AM how do you approach new people?
11:19 AM tourism vs community
how do different individuals experience communities from different perspectives?
11:20 AM does your identity change the way that you experience the city?
8 minutes
11:29 AM me: GENDER ISSUES
11:33 AM male dominated societies?
11:34 AM statues are male
11:36 AM women objectified on bourbon
st
11:37 AM were men ever objectified?
10:39 AM question: what have you learned from the people in the community? how have the people in new orleans helped to rebuild *you*?
10:43 AM our question to you: what is your class about?
10:46 AM What insights about Charleston were you able to glean in the context of all you are learning in your Virtual Communities May Ex?
10:48 AM what is your biggest challenge in defining a community?
10:49 AM ... on a virtual level
10:50 AM let's talk about video tours
10:53 AM fact or fiction
w/ tour guides
10:59 AM question: do you have to make inferences? or educated guesses?
11:04 AM question: how important is it to be able to ask questions?
(to someone who can answer them)
11:09 AM how important is it to have atmosphere in a virtual community?
11:12 AM why do you think people are initially standofish?
11:17 AM how do you approach new people?
11:19 AM tourism vs community
how do different individuals experience communities from different perspectives?
11:20 AM does your identity change the way that you experience the city?
8 minutes
11:29 AM me: GENDER ISSUES
11:33 AM male dominated societies?
11:34 AM statues are male
11:36 AM women objectified on bourbon
st
11:37 AM were men ever objectified?
Podcast Interview: PJ's Coffee
I interviewed the manager at PJ's Coffee, a local New Orleans chain that we visit frequently.
Click HERE to see the video :)
New Orleans Photojournal
Link to New Orleans Photojournal on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FubFICMGUE4
Monday, May 25, 2009
A People's Paper
It was my original intention to highlight a few articles from the Times Picayune to help me analyze both the city, its people, and my experience here. This could have easily been done but through my collection of these articles and my reading of the paper, I came to what I feel is more comprehensive and appropriate approach to analyzing the paper and my experience. The Times-Picayune, to me, is truly a paper of the people. In my life time, the only other part of our country to experience as similar devestation would have to be New York in the aftermath of 9/11. However, it is interesting to note that the terrorist attacks in September of 2001 became not just an attack on NY but also on the entire country. We adopted that catastrophe as our own, as our country's together. The New York Times did not claim the issue or work to tell the stories of the survivors or focus specifically on the coping efforts in the following months and years. Why? They were not alone. The country cried when they cried, felt when they felt, and sincerly went through the healing process along with them. This was and is not the case with Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans. In fact, most people, including myself never truly know the story of Katrina until they experience it first hand. The Time-Picayune understands this and seems to represent the city, its people, and the common ties of grief, loss, and survival that bind them all in a unique way. Reading the paper you find articles about rebuilding. You see survivor stories and first hand accounts. Had I read the Times-Picayune prior to coming to this city, I seriously believe that I would have been unable to truly grasp the essence of its articles. This paper seems to capture the feeling, the essence, and the soul of the city and its people.
In a slight change of topic, it is now time to look towards final documentary projects and the culmination of this trip. In brainstorming for this project I have come across a few ideas. It is my intention to focus on the healing of the city, both what has been done and what is needed to be done. To me, a central part of this cities healing is rooted deeply within the arts. Emotions are often expressed better through movement, song, sculpture, art, etc. than they can ever be with the spoken word. It is my opinion that it will be through cultural and artistic endeavours that this city and its people will be able to regain what they once had and it is my intention to somehow tap in to this process.
In a slight change of topic, it is now time to look towards final documentary projects and the culmination of this trip. In brainstorming for this project I have come across a few ideas. It is my intention to focus on the healing of the city, both what has been done and what is needed to be done. To me, a central part of this cities healing is rooted deeply within the arts. Emotions are often expressed better through movement, song, sculpture, art, etc. than they can ever be with the spoken word. It is my opinion that it will be through cultural and artistic endeavours that this city and its people will be able to regain what they once had and it is my intention to somehow tap in to this process.
What's Going On
I have not really been reading the news paper here which is probably bad…I have picked it up a few times in C.C.’s or around and mostly it seems they are focusing on local elections and recovery project….there is also a lot of death. I am not sure at this point if the newspaper will have any effect on my final project.
As of now, my plans for my final project include incorporating the progression of my blogs, our tours, and pictures I have taken. There were many times I would be talking with local New Orleanians and wished I had a way to record them in some way. Looking back, however, I think that I remember all of the conversations pretty well and that the people probably spoke more freely without the pressure of being recorded. I think for my final project I will sit down with my computer and just record myself talking ad see what comes from that. Everything I have learned in this city has come from discover from local people or going out on our own. Despite the bad notions of Bourbon street I have learned a lot from being there as well as going around New Orleans on Sundays. Sundays are the days for families and locals to be out and about getting things done or enjoying their city without the throngs of tourists and party goers. So I think I will just focus on what has been discovered…because that is all I have.
A Look Back
It is hard to believe that our three weeks here is almost done and gone. Amazingly it has felt both as if the time has flown by and as if it has dragged on. I am going to reflect on my goals for this trip and primarily a look back at my first blog post, however I will do so through the political lense that tends to guide my thoughts. While I slightly fear that my thoughts written here will be misunderstood and placed in an undesired context, I will attempt to reflect upon my two weeks here and the experience I have had personally both in serving and in learning.
First, to understand my assesment it is important to understand why I am here in the first place. Furman often educates its students in terms of a world view, as an good liberal arts university should. I have learned much under this world view but disagree with it to some extent as it is often unintentionally misleading and creates students with a more biased world view than they began with. Students of this school of though are great students of the world and often find themselves fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua or dedicating their lives to ending genocide in Darfur. These are noble causes and I am quite proud to go to a university that prepares students to fight these tremendous battles armed not only with passion but also with an education. However, this world view very often deters our young students from learning about and fighting against the on going battles in their own backyards. I am constantly perplexed by this notion. Yes, the United States at one point was the most powerful country in the world and is fortunate enough to have resources that many other countries could never even dream of having. This is very true, however, hate crimes are still legal in the United States when committed against homosexuals and those with disabilities, our poverty and unemployment rates are climbing, our teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease rates are among the highest in the world, and our government is far more capable of responding with aid and relief to a Tsunami half way across the world than they are at responding to a hurricane on their own Southern coast. We often turn our backs on these problems choosing instead to be the saviors of the third world as oppossed to the heroes of our own hometowns. How can we be successfull in helping the rest of the world when we cannot help our own people?
That is why I am here. I acknowledge the issues of the whole world with willing hands and an open mind, however, I acknowledge the battles of my own people with a full heart and a passion to fight.
Our government failed thousands of their own people in August of 2005 both due to long term past failures and extreme longevity in response time. A government, theoretically, is the protector of its people. Their inappropriate response both literally and figuratively ripped the foundations out from under thousands of people. The were forced to look only to themselves and their peers for support and protection. When you look at the photos from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it is not the national guard or government forces that you see rescuing people from the rising water. As I look at the rebuilding efforts, it is not governmental agencies or even corporate NGO's doing the rebuilding. It is instead the people of this city and caring private citizens. They are responsible for the progress in this city. They have become heroes out of necessity not out of courage or valor, though they all greatly express these qualities.
I am greatly saddened that these people were ignored by their own sworn protectors, however I am inspired and greatly touched by their ability to fight beyond the trecherous bounds of government entitites, insurance fraud, and masses of red tape. I cannot say that I have achieved my goals here though it is true that we often never really know the impact that we have made. That is not important. Instead, my goals have been readjusted. However selfish it may be, I was unable to give this city as much as it gave me. This city has reenergized me.
First, to understand my assesment it is important to understand why I am here in the first place. Furman often educates its students in terms of a world view, as an good liberal arts university should. I have learned much under this world view but disagree with it to some extent as it is often unintentionally misleading and creates students with a more biased world view than they began with. Students of this school of though are great students of the world and often find themselves fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua or dedicating their lives to ending genocide in Darfur. These are noble causes and I am quite proud to go to a university that prepares students to fight these tremendous battles armed not only with passion but also with an education. However, this world view very often deters our young students from learning about and fighting against the on going battles in their own backyards. I am constantly perplexed by this notion. Yes, the United States at one point was the most powerful country in the world and is fortunate enough to have resources that many other countries could never even dream of having. This is very true, however, hate crimes are still legal in the United States when committed against homosexuals and those with disabilities, our poverty and unemployment rates are climbing, our teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease rates are among the highest in the world, and our government is far more capable of responding with aid and relief to a Tsunami half way across the world than they are at responding to a hurricane on their own Southern coast. We often turn our backs on these problems choosing instead to be the saviors of the third world as oppossed to the heroes of our own hometowns. How can we be successfull in helping the rest of the world when we cannot help our own people?
That is why I am here. I acknowledge the issues of the whole world with willing hands and an open mind, however, I acknowledge the battles of my own people with a full heart and a passion to fight.
Our government failed thousands of their own people in August of 2005 both due to long term past failures and extreme longevity in response time. A government, theoretically, is the protector of its people. Their inappropriate response both literally and figuratively ripped the foundations out from under thousands of people. The were forced to look only to themselves and their peers for support and protection. When you look at the photos from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it is not the national guard or government forces that you see rescuing people from the rising water. As I look at the rebuilding efforts, it is not governmental agencies or even corporate NGO's doing the rebuilding. It is instead the people of this city and caring private citizens. They are responsible for the progress in this city. They have become heroes out of necessity not out of courage or valor, though they all greatly express these qualities.
I am greatly saddened that these people were ignored by their own sworn protectors, however I am inspired and greatly touched by their ability to fight beyond the trecherous bounds of government entitites, insurance fraud, and masses of red tape. I cannot say that I have achieved my goals here though it is true that we often never really know the impact that we have made. That is not important. Instead, my goals have been readjusted. However selfish it may be, I was unable to give this city as much as it gave me. This city has reenergized me.
Woohoo for the Times Picayune!
I love me some Times-Picayune
After spending a semester reading articles from the Times-Picayune, it was so exciting to hold one in my hand. I have not really plotted out a way to use it in my final project, but I am sure that I will use it! Sarah Blake and I bought the Sunday edition yesterday, going through our purses to find enough coins to buy one. I am going to steal that away from her soon and I am sure that a lot of that will make it into my project! Who wouldn’t want to read it?
Richard Montegut
Mr. Richard. He is a character. An elderly black man who doesn’t like to mingle with others, Mr. Richard was the first person that I had a conversation with at St. Margaret’s Daughters. April, the activities director, told us that our job was to try to convince the resident’s to come down to the garden. The first day Mollie and I talked to Mr. Richard he was very emphatic. “I don’t like to be with those people. Everyone wants to know you’re business. I’ve done fine on my own, and I like it this way.” Still, he was only too happy to talk to Mollie and I. He told us stories of being evacuated to North Carolina-the only time he’d ever been on airplane- and how none of the food was as good up there- until he found the Golden Corral. Like many of the New Orleanians we’ve met, he was incredibly gruff and quick to turn us away, but once he started talking, he wouldn’t stop! He told us about his favorite car that was stolen from him, about his different job, about times when he couldn’t sit down on the bus because of the color of his skin, about the nice clothes he would wear to win over the ladies, and the correct way to cook red beans and rice. His face really lit up while he was telling us about his favorite musicians- Professor Longhair and Alan Toussien, neither of who, he explained, could read a note of music. However, when ten o’clock rolled around, time to go to the garden, he bid us goodbye and still refused to go outside.
That night, I looked up the artists that he had told us about and bought a couple of songs by Professor Longhair. When Mollie and I went back to see Mr. Richard, I tried to bribe him to come down to the garden by telling him that I had music for him to listen to when we came down. I failed. He still refused to come down to the garden, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play him the music. I went ahead and played him the music. The look on his face as he listened to Professor Longhair sing “Red beans” was priceless- by far the most rewarding experience of the trip. I was reminded just how much the culture of the city means to its citizens. I am glad that I was able to use my knowledge of the city and its musical culture to brighten Mr. Richard’s day.
Current Plans for Final Project
My current plan for the final project for this course is a documentary on the effects of the New Orleans streetcar on the city. In my documentary I plan to show the way that the streetcar has impacted the city significantly and I will reflect upon how the streetcar has helped me understand the city of New Orleans. The streetcar has been a part of the city for almost 175 years. It one of the few, if not the only, moving historical landmark in the US. In addition, the St. Charles Line is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world. I feel that the streetcar can be used as a metaphor for the city itself.
The Times-Picayune has helped me gain a greater knowledge of what has been occurring in and around the city while we have been here. This newspaper has also served as a guide for events going on in the city. I plan to use the newspaper in my final project, by using it as a source for my research on the city, and how the streetcar has influenced it.
Where do the LOCALS go? Our Low Tech Tour---Not everyone can be a computer genius ;)
Travel to new places often means long lines, fanny packs, and tacky souvenirs. But where can you avoid this? Where do the locals go? Here we will explore just this by touching on a few of the local hot spots in and around the French Quarter.......
CENTRAL GROCERY
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=122
THE FRENCH MARKET
http://www.frenchmarket.org/history.htm
COOP'S
http://www.coopsplace.net/
THE STREET CAR
http://www.norta.com/
THE ARTIST MARKET
http://www.artistsmarketnola.com/
CENTRAL GROCERY
http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=122
THE FRENCH MARKET
http://www.frenchmarket.org/history.htm
COOP'S
http://www.coopsplace.net/
THE STREET CAR
http://www.norta.com/
THE ARTIST MARKET
http://www.artistsmarketnola.com/
Plans for end-of-term reflections...
Today's blog entry has two parts!
For the first half, my current plan for presenting all I've learned, click here. Also, I'm cheating terribly, because the sariander blog is part of that plan! Sneaky, eh?
For the second half, on my use of the Times-Picayune newspaper:
Well. I always feel guilty admitting this, but I'm not really newpaper-literate. And I'm prone to dragging pages through my cereal bowl or tipping over my coffee whilst reading. Every time I pick up a newspaper, I compulsively count the number of murders discussed on the front page, and if more than one-third of the articles are about violent crimes (which is usually the case with the T-P), then I give up and go read something else. So I'm not planning on using the T-P for my final reflection paper unless I have a desperate need to fact-check.
For the first half, my current plan for presenting all I've learned, click here. Also, I'm cheating terribly, because the sariander blog is part of that plan! Sneaky, eh?
For the second half, on my use of the Times-Picayune newspaper:
Well. I always feel guilty admitting this, but I'm not really newpaper-literate. And I'm prone to dragging pages through my cereal bowl or tipping over my coffee whilst reading. Every time I pick up a newspaper, I compulsively count the number of murders discussed on the front page, and if more than one-third of the articles are about violent crimes (which is usually the case with the T-P), then I give up and go read something else. So I'm not planning on using the T-P for my final reflection paper unless I have a desperate need to fact-check.
Reflections on Service
City Park - in retrospect, this was our token "make the city prettier" project - cool, but not greatly didactic. It got us out of the French Quarter, and let us get messy and sweaty and really work together as teams. Maybe, in two years or so, I can talk about the effect our labors had on erosion prevention and soil deposition in the lagoon - we'll see.
Parkway Partners - this was physically the most exhausting, to be sure. It was also a much needed reboot of our expectations - so much of the language we've been using to describe service has been city- or population-wide, and this project was to work with one gardener on one piece of land, 10 feet long by 12 feet wide. The experience hammered home the importance of scale - 12 volunteers, 2 days, and 120 square feet of land improved. This is what our labor is worth; this is how much we can do; these are our limitations.
But to counter that, at the same time we had a real sense of working in a network - the coordinator, Macon Fry the Garden Guy, helped give context for this project. Jorge sells his flowers at his church, and Phillip, whose garden is right behind Jorge's and whose chickens Savannah made friends with, well, he sells at the Hollygrove Market, and so does Millie, we're going over to her house for canning tomorrow, and then she'll take the jellies and sauces across the river to that farmer's market, which is where Anna works, and... Suddenly there's a web of farmers and gardeners across the city, growing and selling food, and taking ownership of the land here, and we're a part of that. Meeting Macon, and being invited into his home and his perspective on the urban farming movement, was incredible.
St Margaret's Daughters - this was the most emotionally challenging, and I'm still not ready to analyze the experience. Once again, the scale was completely different, but crucial - we're working with the city's elderly, and the middle-aged care professionals, and the children of those nurses - a completely different subset of the NOLA population from the farmers. Suddenly the priorities are the lack of bingo funds and the renovation of the second and fifth floors, not food droughts and compost; but our conversations still go down the same paths. Food - where does it come from, and why isn't there more garlic in it? City government - why did Nagin get re-elected, anyway?
Rebuilding Together: New Orleans - this was probably the most fun. (And featured the best weather.) Laying down flooring, replacing siding, painting, caulking, and sanding - none of these were as back-breaking as trench-digging with Jorge and Macon, but the results were more tangible than talking with the residents of St. Margaret's. We knew precisely who we were helping, and why, and the work was well within our scope. We went home both days knowing exactly how much we'd accomplished, which was a great feeling.
So yes, I think we managed to "learn about the interdisciplinary history of the people and city of New Orleans." I think we're still working on building contexts and scale models and concept maps, but we're getting there. I think we're successfully building a body of written, visual, and video work in order to confront and discuss our own learning, and I think we are coming to understand our impact here in the city and our "situatedness," or where we fit into the system.
As for goal five, Students will collect and produce podcast interviews of Katrina survivors and their own reflections on the process of renewal and its promise and impact on several levels (individual, city-wide, state, and national), stay tuned - these should be posted any day now!
Parkway Partners - this was physically the most exhausting, to be sure. It was also a much needed reboot of our expectations - so much of the language we've been using to describe service has been city- or population-wide, and this project was to work with one gardener on one piece of land, 10 feet long by 12 feet wide. The experience hammered home the importance of scale - 12 volunteers, 2 days, and 120 square feet of land improved. This is what our labor is worth; this is how much we can do; these are our limitations.
But to counter that, at the same time we had a real sense of working in a network - the coordinator, Macon Fry the Garden Guy, helped give context for this project. Jorge sells his flowers at his church, and Phillip, whose garden is right behind Jorge's and whose chickens Savannah made friends with, well, he sells at the Hollygrove Market, and so does Millie, we're going over to her house for canning tomorrow, and then she'll take the jellies and sauces across the river to that farmer's market, which is where Anna works, and... Suddenly there's a web of farmers and gardeners across the city, growing and selling food, and taking ownership of the land here, and we're a part of that. Meeting Macon, and being invited into his home and his perspective on the urban farming movement, was incredible.
St Margaret's Daughters - this was the most emotionally challenging, and I'm still not ready to analyze the experience. Once again, the scale was completely different, but crucial - we're working with the city's elderly, and the middle-aged care professionals, and the children of those nurses - a completely different subset of the NOLA population from the farmers. Suddenly the priorities are the lack of bingo funds and the renovation of the second and fifth floors, not food droughts and compost; but our conversations still go down the same paths. Food - where does it come from, and why isn't there more garlic in it? City government - why did Nagin get re-elected, anyway?
Rebuilding Together: New Orleans - this was probably the most fun. (And featured the best weather.) Laying down flooring, replacing siding, painting, caulking, and sanding - none of these were as back-breaking as trench-digging with Jorge and Macon, but the results were more tangible than talking with the residents of St. Margaret's. We knew precisely who we were helping, and why, and the work was well within our scope. We went home both days knowing exactly how much we'd accomplished, which was a great feeling.
So yes, I think we managed to "learn about the interdisciplinary history of the people and city of New Orleans." I think we're still working on building contexts and scale models and concept maps, but we're getting there. I think we're successfully building a body of written, visual, and video work in order to confront and discuss our own learning, and I think we are coming to understand our impact here in the city and our "situatedness," or where we fit into the system.
As for goal five, Students will collect and produce podcast interviews of Katrina survivors and their own reflections on the process of renewal and its promise and impact on several levels (individual, city-wide, state, and national), stay tuned - these should be posted any day now!
A Plan for Reflection
My current plan for my final project is to reflect upon the presence of the Catholic Church in New Orleans and investigate how much of an impact it has had on New Orleans culture in the past and present. I am interested in seeing if and how New Orleans’s previously large Catholic population has changed since Katrina and in the last century. I will be contrasting Catholicism in New Orleans to the popular culture of the city such as Bourbon Street. I hope to reflect on how these two, extremely different and prominent forces co-exist in New Orleans. I plan on presenting this as a continuation and elaboration of my podcast.
I will integrate the Times-Picayune into my final project by looking at religion articles and seeing how they may or may not reveal a Catholic influence. Reading the Times-Picayune will also provide me with another way to look at New Orleans culture in general and further my general understanding of New Orleans. This will help me to approach my project analytically.
The Times-Picayune is cool!
If there’s one thing that I had been dying to do when we got here, it was to read the Times-Picayune. After a whole semester of using pictures and articles from the online version and discussing its cultural importance in the New Orleans life, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a real copy of this newspaper. Now that I actually have access to it, I have loved waltzing into coffee shops, picking up the paper (along with my CC’s mochasippi strawberry shortcake smoothie of course), browsing through the articles on the streetcar, and carrying it under my arm for the rest of the day. However middle-school this sounds, the best way to describe this experience is by calling it ‘cool’. Its ‘cool’ that I’ve studied a culture from a distance for several months, and can now see it printed every day and available for 75 cents on newsstands. It’s very cool indeed!
As last weekend was Tulane’s graduation, I expected to see something in the paper as a celebration for the seniors. Not only did I find this, but also a detailed covering of the “Katrina Class”, which was the label given to the graduating class of 2009. Though I had not realized it, this class had just ended their 4 year-long college experience that began in August of 2005, with students entering orientation just as Hurricane Katrina was making landfall. The article (read it here) praised this group of students who having evacuated the city, lost much of the excitement of beginning college and embarking on a new chapter of their life. These were the students who faced great loss, but were brave enough to return to Tulane months after Katrina and continue along on their undergraduate path (being only one third of the total enrolled freshman class for the 2005-2006 school year).
It was a very powerful moment to read this article and think about Katrina’s daily presence in New Orleans. After the storm hit in 2005, I was concerned for the people, but soon turned my back on New Orleans’ situation, not thinking anything of it for the next 3 years. It wasn’t until this last semester that I began to realize that life in New Orleans hadn’t picked back up, and things were still a wreck. In reading this article, I realized how selfish I’ve been to be so ignorant. These people have been struggling for years, while I had been blocking the damage out of mind and focusing on my own concerns. But there was the Times-Picayune, reminding me of this very real storm and its very real consequences.
All of this is to basically say that I’m eager to use the paper as my inspiration. There is so much cultural value in reading a newspaper, regardless of the city being reported. But particularly in New Orleans, where the fast-paced lifestyle is supplemented by the city’s relaxed feel, the newspaper speaks volumes about the cultural brilliance that is taking place. Even though I’m tossing around several ideas for my documentary, I know that the Times-Picayune will be a great source of motivation for my project.
Oh New Orleans, I'm yours and suddenly you're mine!
As Mollie P. and I were walking to PJ’s coffee this morning for some good old Internet stealing, we were reflecting on a conversation we had as a group over dinner last night. We discussed the concept of finding conclusions in experiences; whether that be the city resolving problems caused by Hurricane Katrina, or by our group simply feeling as though we are actually part of this crazy place. Although we’ve put ourselves in the paths of numerous opportunities that have sparked new understanding, many were somewhat skeptical about whether or not we had actually found a resolve in everything that we’re doing.
Indeed, a productive outcome is sometimes more difficult to see when there is not a completely finished product staring back at us after a hard days work. However, by spreading ourselves throughout all facets of the city, we’ve gained a greater understanding. By looking at the city as a whole and forcing our able hands into its many areas of hurt, our comprehensive understanding is invaluable. Although it may be difficult to see, Mollie and I decided that even if we don’t understand how much we’ve learned now, we’ll see the product several years from now when we all come back and visit (I mean, there’s no way that any of us are going to be able to stay away from this wonderful place for too long).
I think that’s what each of our course goals calls for. They focus on acquiring well-rounded knowledge of the history of the people, analyzing the city’s affect on its citizens, and gaining an understanding of this city’s strength despite devastation. A wholesome appreciation of the city is only uncovered by exploring all areas of the city, as we have done. We have experienced draining but rewarding work in planting Honduran trenches of death. We have first hand seen Katrina’s damage by replanting wetlands and spending time with those who suffered. We have understood New Orleans’ poor housing systems by rebuilding and painting a house with devastating termite damage. By not settling in one location, we’ve had the opportunity to get to know certain pockets of the city inside and out (so well in fact ,that people have started asking us for directions, and we actually know what we’re talking about!).
I know we’ve only been here for about two weeks now. And I know it sounds crazy, but I’m starting to feel like I can call the city mine. New Orleans is my city, and I am one of its adopted citizens. And it’s weird to think that this romance has happened so quickly, but by being so involved in its day-to-day affairs over the course of our trip, I think it would be impossible not to be in love.
Let's Have A Chat
While in
I plan to evaluate everything I’ve learned by reflecting on the encounters I’ve had since May 11, which now seems so long ago. Everyone I’ve met has made a positive impact on my relationship with the city: our crew of nine students and one instructor; Cindy - our tour guide; Kyle Saari - the wetlands guru; Macon Fry - the Garden Guy; Jorge - the farmer with unique techniques; Dr. Pani Kolb - a local who knows EVERYTHING about the city; Bruce - the Lucky Dog vendor; Kim - the barista at CC’s and our connection to the internet; Feather and Willow - the family fighting hard times with the support of the community; the playwright and cast of Shotgun; the residents of St Margaret’s Nursing Home - especially Richie Montagut; Dr. Stewart and her daughter - natives of New Orleans; Marisa, Kate, Pat, Steve, Dave, and Reggie – the crew at Rebuilding Together New Orleans; Elizabeth Brown – a very brave soul who biked from Chicago to New Orleans; and many others who, just by living and breathing in the city, have shown me one of the best places to laissez le bon temps roullez!
Following the Times-Picayune has helped me understand the local scene, from special events, to the political battles, to the tragic car crashes on Lake Pontartrain Causeway. One of the most exciting new stories in the paper this week was the fight for and victory of hosting the Super Bowl for the 2013 season.
A story released Wednesday highlighted a potential movie about an ex-Marine, John Keller who “rescued 244 of his neighbors at the American Can Company apartment complex in Mid-City and emerged as one of the memorable heroes of Hurricane Katrina.” The story explained the emotional toll the movie will have on Keller: "I wasn't in it for the money," he said. "But I was able to affect so many people. It wasn't just the people I got out of the building but everybody who valued those people, too."
Reading the area news gave us yet another opportunity to see the city through the eyes of locals.
Intrinsic Gratification
One of my personal goals for this service-learning trip was to leave my mark on New Orleans. I wanted to make a difference and to help out in one way or another. After completing our two weeks of community service, I can confidently say that I have accomplished this goal. It has been amazing to take part in the service that we have done and to whiteness the tangible and intangible impact that we have made. By working with Parkway Partners, the LSU Agricultural Center, St. Margret’s daughters, and Rebuilding Together our group has been able to lend a helping hand to people who are striving to revitalize New Orleans. Every organization we worked with was amazed by our group’s willingness to go head first into projects. We installed hardwood floors, dug massive ditches, made the elderly laugh as we sang Michael Jackson, and planted aquatic plants in waders. I think that it is safe to say that we have all learned how to do new things on this trip. I watched in amazement as the other Mollie became an expert carpenter in an hour and admired Savanna’s ability to connect with the residents at St. Margret’s. We were all able to channel our individual strengths to work as a team and as an agent of change. Knowing that we made people’s days even just a little bit brighter or a little bit easier is enough satisfaction for me.
Even though most of the people we worked with were not New Orleans natives it was interesting to hear what had attracted them to the city and why the loved it so much. Every volunteer had a different explanation and a different spin on how they viewed New Orleans but what they all had in common was that there was something about this unique city that made it hard to leave. Some may view service work as an indirect way to get to know the culture of a city but I have found trough being indirect you stumble upon hidden jewels and open doors that you would have missed otherwise. For example we were invited to a Louisiana style dinner on Macon Fry’s back porch over looking the Mississippi and met people at St. Margret’s that we ended up seeing numerous times round the city. These experiences and the intrinsic rewards that come from doing service are priceless, but what is more important is that we left a person’s day a little brighter and made an impact on the city. It is evident in the smiles of those we spent time with and the gratitude of everyone we have met that we have accomplished this.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Where we have gotten
It is difficult to choose one experience that has satisfied the goals of this trip because I feel as though most of the projects we have done have come together to meet our goals. The only project that I feel did not meet these goals was working on the garden because we were not helping a native New Orleanian and we were only helping one person, which I feel did not help the city recover. The planting of the aquatic garden was fun and we learned about how that type of planting helps with damage during the storms like Katrina. It allowed us to learn about New Orleans history and current events as wells as made me feel as though we were helping the entire city because it is a public park. The nursing home was interesting to say the least. None of the residents were quite able to remember anything before Katrina and were not quite sure where they were during the storm either. While we may have left a little impact there, there was no lasting effect and so I feel that our time may have been spent elsewhere. That is not to say I did not enjoy the experience immensely, I loved the residents and enjoyed spending time with them (especially Ms. Dorothy).
When I thought about the type of service we would be doing on this trip I definitely thought we would find ourselves in the 9th Ward building houses and I am a little disappointed that we did not make our way over there. However, repairing the house that we did was, to a point, exactly what I wanted to do here. The house was going to leave a lasting impact because it would be used for at least the next 50 years and by the grandmother and then the granddaughter. It was also great that they were going to be able to build it completely wheelchair accessible since both women are wheelchair bound. It was good to do something where we saw our efforts in the end. I understood our “situatedness” and how much we were helping the people of Rebuilding Together. Because we were there the people who actually work for the group were able to take on larger tasks as well as give us the minor tasks to do that may not have gotten done otherwise. We were able to think for ourselves, learn from others, and take on the leadership roles that were needed.
I feel as though there was a lot more we could have done here and that possibly the garden was not the best use of our time and if we had planned a little better as a group we could have made more of an impact with the nursing home. It would have been great to work with those who were more directly affected by Katrina because everyone we worked with were volunteers from other states. In the future I would like to come back because there is so much more to do here, especially in areas like the 9th Ward and the wetlands.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
I took a leap of faith and landed outside my comfort zone
My two highest expectations at the start of this trip were to leave the city better than when I arrived, and to experience life-altering moments. This journey certainly didn’t waste any time fulfilling those expectations. I feel that I have made a positive impact on the city and, in return, the city has taught me about culture, history, and life.
I am completely amazed by the service we accomplished over the past two weeks. Everything from digging “trenches”, to planting wetland vegetation in waist-high water, to hearing stories of New Orleans’ past (some particular stories were heard too many times), to rebuilding a house for a deserving family – we’ve done it all. I never knew that I could touch so many lives in such a short amount of time.
Besides helping locals, the best thing about community service is the feeling of satisfaction you get immediately after giving your heart and soul to a project for the benefit of others. In a world trained by technology to expect instantaneous results, an escape to the community service realm is a welcomed relief. Rather than flashing lights and advertisements driving the immediate excitement, it’s the look on people’s faces that shows how truly grateful they are for your help, even if it’s simply to share a conversation.
The underlying goals for our Service Learning course were to provide service to local communities in
Only one more to go
We have now been in New Orleans for a full two weeks, even though we far away from becoming natives to the city I feel like we have been able to learn and integrate our own observations into the city. As a class our largest focus has been on learning about the city through the citizens and in the process of doing so help the people by completing community service. Through out the weeks I have focused my attention on the differences each person is able to view through the city. When I first started interviewing citizens for our podcast project I discovered that there were different responses almost every time. The people I talked to all valued different things as their most important—everything from food, lifestyle and even the difference the city itself represents.
With this idea in mind I plan to complete my final project on the differences of the city and how these differences make it a home for many people and many the favorite city of many. In my documentary I plan to integrate the interviews I used for my podcast and interject more of my own opinion to form my interpretation of the city through an outsiders perspective—even as we become more integrated into the city itself.
What it means to be serviceable
After finishing our work Thursday we had completed the service element of our trip. I feel like our major goals for the class was to understand the city through the eyes of the natives, and in the process of doing so help them recover from the aftermath of Katrina. Our service project goal was not fully achieved by any project, but I feel that the service projects combined achieved the goal we were set out to complete. For example I feel like we helped the New Orleaners most when he helped build the home in Hollyoaks, with Rebuilding Together. The achievements we made with the home in the two short days was very heartwarming and I felt that we made tremendous strives to help the homeowners. Even though we were able to have such a positive impact for the homeowners, we were never able to react directly with the people of New Orleans.
We were able to act directly with the people when we worked in the nursery home. Even though at St Margret’s I did not feel the same sense of accomplishment we were able to learn about the city from its oldest citizens. I feel like we had lofty goals when we wanted to combine all of these categories under one umbrella, however I feel like it was very successful for us to complete the major goals of the class in different stages. If we would have combined both of the categories I feel like we would not have been able to establish the same foundations as we did by completing these projects.
Reflection on Community Service
Community service, I have discovered, is a broad and all encompassing definition. Community service also frequently involves getting messy. Of the four different community service projects we have worked on none of them met my expectations entirely. When I first thought about the community service we would be completing in New Orleans, I thought that we would be getting a chance to work with native New Orleanders to help better the city, and while three of our projects benefited New Orleans in a visible way in only one of them did I meet someone who had lived here for a considerable period of time. It was only when working at the Nursing home that I met a large number of people who had lived in New Orleans for most, if not all, of their lives, however I was unable to see the fruits of my labor, I may have learned a lot about New Orleans, but the work lacked that tangible sense of accomplishment that you get when you are able to see just how much you have accomplished. I personally felt that the service project we worked on that most completed our course goals and my personal expectations of service learning was working with Macon Fry "the garden guy" and Jorge, who was from South America, on the community gardens project. In this project I felt that we were able to see the benefit of our project, the person it benefited most, and we were able to learn about the Community Gardens project as a whole and see the benefits already in place. In addition Macon invited us to his home to have dinner with him last Monday. There I was able to spend a considerable amount of time learning about New Orleans and the effects of storms such as Katrina and ongoing recover efforts, not only from Macon Fry, but from his wife and one of his friends who works with, not for, the Army Corps of Engineers. The work we did for Macon and Jorge may have been some of the most backbreaking manual labor I have ever done, but it was also the most beneficial; I was able to see the benefits of my labor and gain knowledge about New Orleans, not only during the time I was working, but also through the ensuing invitation to dinner.
Friday, May 22, 2009
No U-Turns
Earlier today I was talking with Savannah (and commenting on blog posts) and the idea that the urban planning here is in conflict with itself bubbled up.
Case in point: no U-turns.
The city demands recursive reflection since you constantly have to "make the block" (or two or three) to get where you are going. Isn't this the process in life? Getting where you are going rarely involves straight lines, often includes detours, and sometimes ends in getting lost then found then lost again.
Mostly the no left turn rule is a product of water; all of the drainage canals (including the one on Canal St.) are covered over and create small little "bridges" in the middle of the street. These areas are capable of hosting two sets of street car rails (or the equivalent of one or two cars length-wise at best.) Were left turns allowed we'd never get anywhere for the jams created over these covered waterways.
New Orleans' anti-left turn inspires a great appreciation for the few occasions that left turns are actually *allowed*. And highway driving, where they aren't required.
Case in point: no U-turns.
The city demands recursive reflection since you constantly have to "make the block" (or two or three) to get where you are going. Isn't this the process in life? Getting where you are going rarely involves straight lines, often includes detours, and sometimes ends in getting lost then found then lost again.
Mostly the no left turn rule is a product of water; all of the drainage canals (including the one on Canal St.) are covered over and create small little "bridges" in the middle of the street. These areas are capable of hosting two sets of street car rails (or the equivalent of one or two cars length-wise at best.) Were left turns allowed we'd never get anywhere for the jams created over these covered waterways.
New Orleans' anti-left turn inspires a great appreciation for the few occasions that left turns are actually *allowed*. And highway driving, where they aren't required.
There is a need for a 3rd Option
Well for starters I would never use Ignatius as the character for New Orleans. Ignatius is very crude, rude, and does not show his mother proper respect as just a few examples of how he does not fit the New Orleans character. During our visit I believe I have seen NOLA in its finest and its, well, not so finest. During the day and early evening, one finds everyone here so hospitable, the streets are clean and the buildings beautiful, and even in areas such as the 9th Ward you find optimism through the rebuilding projects such as the Musicians Neighborhood and the Make it Right Foundation. The people are always willing to help and are so excited to find out people are here to help rebuild their beloved city. On our first full day here there was a commercial being made using actual working people of the city to promote tourism in New Orleans which was amazing and we were even invited to join in. From A Confederacy of Dunces I did not find the New Orleans that I have discovered here. Ignatius is so rude and lazy when the people here are working so hard to make things better for everyone, Ignatius was only looking out for himself. For example when his mom needed to pay for the damage she made during her car accident and Ignatius had to be forced into getting a job to help her out but at the same time would not allow his mother to mortgage the house to pay for it. He truly does not represent the city at all to me except for at night. Bourbon Street was quite an experience, both good and bad, the night that I went. Everyone was very happy, most likely due to a large intake of alcohol, but nevertheless in good spirits. There were, however, place blatantly offering sex shows and other obscene things that could easily fall under an Ignatius character in his habit of watching things happening but not partaking. The final point that does not make Ignatius the New Orleans character is the interview my group had with a Lucky Dog hot dog vendor. The vendor, Bruce, was very well spoken and had worked his cart for 25 years, and while he had seen some interesting things- “There was a woman walking stark naked on Sunday morning down Bourbon street” – he did not offend me at all and was very enjoyable to speak to.
Now Binx (does anyone else think of the cat from Hocus Pocus?) is a different story all together – he seems rather boring, monotonous. However there is something there. Out of the choice between Ignatius and Binx as the character for New Orleans, I would quite frankly choose neither of the two, but Binx is the better choice. His life seems rather boring but he has lots of stories about friends and family members, takes part in Mardi Gras and is part of the Neptune krewe, and has a little bit of a ‘bad’ streak in him like Bourbon street – or New Orleans after 11 o’clock. For example, he went to college, was in a fraternity, got a respectable job, but he dates his secretaries and has an aunt who does husband swapping. He holds the relaxed southern feeling of New Orleans but knows how to hold that New York City feel you find every so often in the uptown parts of the city. He reminds of some of the people we met at St. Margaret’s, really quite and calm but once you get them talking you here stories of drinking, gambling, and possibly going to jail; or you get them playing bingo and they get real feisty just like Binx when he goes to his favorite hangouts. Like New Orleans, Binx has faced some intense tragedy like his parents dying when he was young, as well as his brother. New Orleans has gone through fires, plagues, and numerous hurricanes- but both New Orleans and Binx are making it through.
It would be difficult to find the New Orleans character in one person. The city has so many facets that the person would have an extreme personality disorder or would just be all over the place all the time.
Longue Vue Gardens and Pontchartrain Park
Last evening a few of us attended an opening for an exhibit of photographs taken by children at Coghill Elementary at Longue Vue House and Gardens. The exhibit was part of a therapeutic photography project whereby students snapped pictures of the Pontchartrain Park neighborhood (New Orleans' first middle-class African American neighborhood, founded in 1952) to document the neighborhood's essence and post-Katrina rebuilding efforts.
After we viewed the exhibit and a documentary about the process of creating the exhibit we toured the gardens. This photo is a picture of inlaid stone at Longue Vue's Spanish garden.
It's an uncommon thing, a green space in the middle of an urban landscape, but not so uncommon in New Orleans. And, it interlocks with a theme we've been experiencing--the flooring we installed in Hollygrove was called "Bamboo Supreme" and Longue Vue House and Gardens is located at 7 Bamboo Road.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Running on Fumes and Powdered Sugar
After a long day at St. Margaret's nursing home and a crawfish/red beans/rice dinner courtesy of Macon Fry, the garden guy, our group had some much needed beignet therapy.
Ignatius J. Reilly and Binx Bolling: Redefining reality to suit
We've been reading both John Kennedy Toole's A Confedacy of Dunces and Walker Percy's The Moviegoer in bits and spurts over the past week. It's a strange way to read a novel, trying to balance Toole and Percy's examinations of New Orleans' cast of characters with our own observations, and generally speaking, I've been finding the real people more compelling than the typeset ones. That said, Ignatius and Binx are interesting men, to be sure. (Ignatius in particular is loopier than a crochet convention.)
Earlier this week, Roddey wrote about differentiating between New-Orleans-that-is from New-Orleans-in-that-movie-I-saw-once. Ignatius and Binx have a problem with this.
Ignatius has immersed himself in medieval history and sociology, and chooses to live his life by those rules - which has varying success, as the great philosophers of the middle ages had very little to say on the subject of the food service industry. Ignatius watches television and film in order to sharpen his perceived lines between "right" (i.e., appropriate under divine kingship, pre-Vatican Two) and "wrong" (i.e., Gidget and the beach bunnies), and then lives his life accordingly. What Ignatius, with his "immense intellect," sees as real (relevant, admirable) does not align with the consensus from everyone else in the city.
Binx, on the other hand, uses the gentle golden filter of Hollywood to establish his idea of the real. William Holden, to take the early, gorgeously written example, carries a cloak of "resplendent reality" with him, which makes the existence of the other characters pale in comparison. Binx has a better grasp on realistic self-appraisal than Ignatius, or at least a better grasp of hygiene; both men narrate their lives and explain how their vision/interpretation is superior to everyone else's, but Binx' perception of reality makes it easier for him to "pass" in society.
The similarity between the books lies in the following question: is reality personal or consensual? To quote Binx, "upon my honor, I do not know the answer." As a scientist, I'm trained (generally) to understand reality as fixed, concrete, and universally explicable - no two people, or two equations, can possibly have a different explanation. This is patently untrue, but it's probably a necessary lie, at least as long as we want to keep teaching Physics 101.
If reality is consensual - as firmly believed by my high school English teacher - then shared experiences are what define the real. The rules are what we can agree on, and the weight of history and legislation lie behind them.
Personal realities give us the most freedom, however, and the most control. Terri Apter writes,
"One of the main tasks of adolescence is to achieve an identity--not necessarily a knowledge of who we are, but a clarification of the range of what we might become, a set of self-references by which we can make sense of our responses, and justify our decisions and goals."
Identity-building - or reality-building - is something that we have to do for ourselves. If our realities come to match up with society and the norm, does that make us successful adults? (And if so, will anyone bother to write novels about us, or are we too boring?) If the two fail to align, to we become characters out-of-step, like Ignatius and Binx?
Again, I do not know the answer. Ask me again when I'm all grown-up and starring in novels.
(As for which character New Orleans would be, I'll argue for Santa, from Condeferacy, second adolescence and all. Also because the idea of NOLA personified gleefully and unapologetically drinking, dancing, bowling, abusing affectionate diminutives, cooking, and bitching her way through life seems to fit.)
Earlier this week, Roddey wrote about differentiating between New-Orleans-that-is from New-Orleans-in-that-movie-I-saw-once. Ignatius and Binx have a problem with this.
Ignatius has immersed himself in medieval history and sociology, and chooses to live his life by those rules - which has varying success, as the great philosophers of the middle ages had very little to say on the subject of the food service industry. Ignatius watches television and film in order to sharpen his perceived lines between "right" (i.e., appropriate under divine kingship, pre-Vatican Two) and "wrong" (i.e., Gidget and the beach bunnies), and then lives his life accordingly. What Ignatius, with his "immense intellect," sees as real (relevant, admirable) does not align with the consensus from everyone else in the city.
Binx, on the other hand, uses the gentle golden filter of Hollywood to establish his idea of the real. William Holden, to take the early, gorgeously written example, carries a cloak of "resplendent reality" with him, which makes the existence of the other characters pale in comparison. Binx has a better grasp on realistic self-appraisal than Ignatius, or at least a better grasp of hygiene; both men narrate their lives and explain how their vision/interpretation is superior to everyone else's, but Binx' perception of reality makes it easier for him to "pass" in society.
The similarity between the books lies in the following question: is reality personal or consensual? To quote Binx, "upon my honor, I do not know the answer." As a scientist, I'm trained (generally) to understand reality as fixed, concrete, and universally explicable - no two people, or two equations, can possibly have a different explanation. This is patently untrue, but it's probably a necessary lie, at least as long as we want to keep teaching Physics 101.
If reality is consensual - as firmly believed by my high school English teacher - then shared experiences are what define the real. The rules are what we can agree on, and the weight of history and legislation lie behind them.
Personal realities give us the most freedom, however, and the most control. Terri Apter writes,
"One of the main tasks of adolescence is to achieve an identity--not necessarily a knowledge of who we are, but a clarification of the range of what we might become, a set of self-references by which we can make sense of our responses, and justify our decisions and goals."
Identity-building - or reality-building - is something that we have to do for ourselves. If our realities come to match up with society and the norm, does that make us successful adults? (And if so, will anyone bother to write novels about us, or are we too boring?) If the two fail to align, to we become characters out-of-step, like Ignatius and Binx?
Again, I do not know the answer. Ask me again when I'm all grown-up and starring in novels.
(As for which character New Orleans would be, I'll argue for Santa, from Condeferacy, second adolescence and all. Also because the idea of NOLA personified gleefully and unapologetically drinking, dancing, bowling, abusing affectionate diminutives, cooking, and bitching her way through life seems to fit.)
Multiple Personalities
So much history and culture is embedded in the foundation of
Ignatius is a cynic. He doesn’t boast about being the center of the universe, but, through narration, explains why others’ actions are offensive against taste and decency while his choices are always theologically acceptable. Shuns from his mother for being lazy and unemployed certainly do not stop him from expecting her to be at his disposal. He would rather sit in his messy room, scribbling on a pad of paper, than in the work field, helping his mother sort through financial troubles.
Binx, like Ignatius, prefers to participate in enjoyable activities instead of working. However, he is a functioning member of society instead of a parasite. Rather than following the advice of his family to work as a lawyer or doctor, chose a boring profession, a broker, in order to have a social life with several of his secretaries.
Ignatius and Binx both live vicariously through film. Both characters enjoy going to movies multiple times per week and Ignatius even likes watching dance shows only to scream at the screen which shows “…an egregious insult to good taste.” As both characters are so dependent on others, their common thread is life’s lessons on the road to independence.
To define
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The City as a Character
As I progress in my investigation of new Orleans, I find that this city has many layers and even many personalities. As we heard from many sources, and more specifically from the Playwrite during the talk back, everything in New Orleans has two sides. While Ignatius is a very lively character and often, to me, expresses many of the eccentricities of New Orleans, he does not represent the flexibility of identity that the city possesses. Binx on the other hand, tends to be portrayed in many different lights and capacities as is reflected in the constant changing of his name to fit the appropriateness of the situation, as is often common with nicknames. Whether he is Jack or Binx, it seems that he is struggling to find where he fits best. New Orleans is also seeking to re-define itself while maintaining the transparent definitions it once had. However, while Binx does display a sometimes shifting exterior and is searching for solidarity within his personal identification; his person is too mild to convey to rich culture of new Orleans. His decision to move out of the French quarter due to the "businessmen smirking on Bourbon Street,the homosexuals and patio connoisseurs on Royal Street" for more peaceful life in Gentilly where he is a "model tenant and a model citizen" and "takes pleasure in doing all that is expected" of him (p. 6). The practicality of his life both in it's application and analysis seems to me to be slightly contradictory to the fly by the seat of your pants style of life the new Orleans has demonstrated to me. Ignatius on the other hand, demonstrates some of these characteristics. It is interesting for me to talk to people of New Orleans about the night life and risqué behavior of Bourbon Street. As I sit here and think about this and Ignatius, I immediately think of Miss Dorothy, the vivacious and fiesty woman who I was able to meet at St. Margarets. With every activity presented to her, Miss Dorothy would immediately exclaim "I don't want it!" and would make her disdain for all things known. However, while she was complaining and saying "I don't want it!" she would slowly but surely begin to do that very activity. Miss Dorothy was present at every meal, every exercise session, and every bingo. This reminded me of Ignatius and then in turn reminded me of New Orleans. While Ignatius has greatly limited himself due to his gregorious attitude, his experiences and stories, especially the one about the trip to Baton Rouge, all revolve around his constant complaints and philosophical rants on the problems of human nature. People in New Orleans seem to do the same;though not in a negative or limiting way as Ignatius does. They often ignore the nightlife or the dark parts of the city and yet as I walk through the streets at night I see people of all different backgrounds mingling together in the shadows of Bourbon Street. When it comes down to it, it seems that everyone is giving in to their vices at night and condeming the same vices in the morning. I love this celebration of life and the ability to act on every whim. However, I am not quite sure how I fit in to the picture. I am a stranger in a strange world.
Lorna L. Fink
Sent from my iPhone
Lorna L. Fink
Sent from my iPhone
A Fight For the Death
First of all, I’m approaching this blog with much trepidation. I’m frightened by the difficulty in stripping New Orleans down to a laundry list of identifiable characteristics that are mirrored in the two equally complex and extreme characters we have been studying. Nevertheless, I press on.
And so we have it. John Kennedy Toole’s Ignatius Riley vs. Walker Percy’s Binx Bolling. Two equally ridiculous characters facing off from separate corners of their twisted, convoluted outlooks on life, dueling for the title of New Orleans. On one side, Ignatius’ brilliant but irrational nature fuels his feistiness that could definitely pack a punch, even if it comes sideways and unexpectedly. On the other, Binx’s quip and lack of concern for consequences gives his words an unforgiving bite that leaves a penetrating mark. It’s a fight for the death as each character flaunts its qualities in hopes of becoming the best at encompassing the true spirit of New Orleans.
Although I would LOVE to actually see this fight, I’ll go ahead and put my money on Ignatius for this round. It is a tough match, because Binx’s “I do what I want” nature is definitely seen in New Orleans culture. However, it is Ignatius’ ludicrous manner of carrying himself through the city that gives him the title. His nonchalance and transparent desires lead to a lifestyle that denies itself nothing… whether that be unlimited lucky dogs or wine cakes. On a broader sense, New Orleans is always granting wishes for its citizens, even if that may be something deemed inappropriate elsewhere (as evident by Bourbon Street going strong on Monday night). Not only does it allow these obscenities to occur, but it boasts about them in broad daylight, unafraid of what others may think. Much like Ignatius, the city parades itself for all to see, priding itself on its less than perfect reputation. But it is THIS trait that makes the city so intriguing. It has no fear of others, but is eager to invite outsiders in and let them stay awhile (much like Macon Fry the Garden Guy).
Honestly, I think that’s the reason why I love New Orleans so much.
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